Wishes
by yasha012
Summary: A series that features brief glimpses into the lives of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha after Kagome returns home through the well. Includes stories of what happens when Inuyasha falls down a hole, Kitsune pranks, Sesshomaru's surprise talent, "The Flower Prince" and so on, continuing on until they reunite with the Shikon Miko once more. NOT A ROMANCE. M for language, but T otherwise.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Certain chapters this story will be rated M due to some… darker things that will happen to one of the characters later on (no, it isn't rape). I don't think it will be described in great detail, but still. Don't worry, I will warn you. (Sorry, I just couldn't fit this in the description...)**

"Do you have to go?"

"You know I do." Inuyasha watched with lowered ears as Kagome unclasped her hands to stare down sadly at the purified jewel. "I'll make my wish and the well will close. That's what we've always known."

He looked down miserably, frowning at the ground. "Yeah, but…" Whatever reply he had attempted to form died on his lips. He shook his head.

Kagome closed the jewel in a fist and ran to give him a hug. "I'll miss you," she murmured into his shoulder. "You're my best friend."

He hugged her back. "I know."

She pulled away and wiped at her watery eyes with the index finger of her empty hand. "I love him," she whispered.

Inuyasha felt his eyes soften. "I know."

"I couldn't tell him."

"You could have."

"I don't think he feels the same."

"I don't know."

She looked up at him. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks now. "Will I ever see you all again?"

"I don't know," he repeated solemnly before breaking out into a grin. "But us demons can live five hundred years, easy."

She smiled softly. "I know." With one last hug, she turned and walked up to the well a few feet away. She remained standing there for a short while with her back to him. Finally, he heard her take a deep breath. Raising the jewel to her lips she whispered the words, "Disappear. Forever." The jewel glowed and began to fracture. Its light engulfed the miko who had repaired it, removed from it its taint. By the time the light faded and the jewel had vanished, Kagome was gone.

Inuyasha stared at the spot where she had once stood before turning and slowly walking back to the village. The others were waiting there as Kagome had requested after saying goodbye to them. He came across his human companions first, soon spotting Shippo and Kirara nearby. The young kitsune looked up at him. "Did she go home?"

Inuyasha nodded and listened with half an ear as his friends expressed how much they would miss her. He looked around, finally sensing Sesshomaru near the outskirts of the village. He walked over to his brother, with whom Kagome had fostered a fragile alliance. Somehow, the distant taiyoukai had almost become... friends with them. Looking at Sesshomaru, Inuyasha said, "She's gone."


	2. Chapter 2

"So what are you gonna do?" Inuyasha sat against the tree where he'd found Sesshomaru earlier. Sesshomaru reclined in a sturdy branch above him.

"I don't know." Rin stayed in the village with Kaede now, and she kept Ah-Un. Jaken had died in the final fight against Naraku. That left Sesshomaru alone.

"You could… stay here," Inuyasha offered with a false air of indifference. He and Sesshomaru still weren't really close, but they were getting better. Inuyasha wanted it, wanted to have that relationship. He hoped Sesshomaru would stay. "If you want."

"Why would I stay?" Sesshomaru asked, gazing slowly around the village. His voice lowered as he added softly, "I do not belong here."

"Sure you do," Inuyasha replied. "We're your friends, right?" Sesshomaru glanced down to him. "You belong with us."

While Sesshomaru had never openly said that he was friends with anyone, he did nothing to deny the claim. Instead he said, "Believe what you want."

Inuyasha looked up at him. "So will you stay?" he asked, trying not to let his eagerness show. He waited with baited breath as Sesshomaru seemed to mull it over.

"I suppose," Sesshomaru finally replied. "For now."

Inuyasha smiled against his own will and stood. "Come on, then. Let's go back to the others." Sesshomaru jumped out of the branch and landed gracefully beside him. They walked side by side toward Kaede's hut, where everyone else was resting after the hard fight. Even Rin, who was just emerging from the hut as the brothers approached, looked tired. Sesshomaru was likely the only one who wasn't.

The child turned tragic eyes on the taiyoukai. "Are you leaving?"

"Nah," Inuyasha answered for him with a smirk. "He's staying." She smiled happily and sat down beside Shippo. Normally she would have hugged someone (probably Sesshomaru) or at least said something (likely some loud expression of joy) but not today. Today had been hard.

The two inuyoukai reclined against the outer wall of the hut, Sesshomaru standing while Inuyasha sat. Inuyasha chanced a glance at his brother, who had more than risked his life for them all today. He had even been injured, though he was healed now. Inuyasha looked away. _Kagome… You picked good. Your affections aren't misplaced, even if they aren't reciprocated. He's good. _He looked to the sky and, sighing to himself, changed his train of thought. He grinned and, speaking as much to his friends as to himself, said, "We _will_ see her again. All of us."


	3. Chapter 3

"There is not much I can teach you." Sesshomaru looked at the young boy before him as he leaned against the red torii arch. Three days had passed since Kagome's departure. "I am not a kitsune."

"But…" Shippo looked troubled. "You can teach me _some_ things."

"Yes," he conceded with a slight incline of his head. "Some."

"So will you?" Shippo asked, a hopeful light in his eyes.

"Why are you so eager to learn?" Sesshomaru asked in return. "You are young yet."

"Yeah, but I wanna be strong," Shippo said. "Like you."

Sesshomaru decided to correct the boy's speech later. He blinked. "You understand it will not be easy?"

"Or fun," Shippo acknowledged solemnly. "But I want to do it. I really do."

_He is serious. _Sesshomaru mulled it over in silence for a while. Though he wasn't entirely convinced that Shippo sought training for the sole purpose of getting stronger, Sesshomaru nodded his acceptance. "We will start tomorrow."

Shippo cheered and, after exclaiming a chorus of "thank you's", scampered off. His scent bloomed with happiness, and Sesshomaru closed his eyes. Kagome's face popped into his mind then for reasons he couldn't fathom. _She may have been an unorthodox mother, but she did raise him well. He is willful and determined, if nothing else. And he is already very sharp. _That last thought snagged, and he mentally sighed. _He will still need to be educated. As will Rin. _

He sensed Inuyasha's approach then, pulling him from his thoughts. He opened his eyes to silently regard his brother. Inuyasha stopped a few feet away with his hands in his sleeves. "You really gonna train him?"

Realizing that Inuyasha had probably heard the whole conversation, Sesshomaru nodded. "He will be strong," he murmured, voicing one of his earlier thoughts.

"Yeah," Inuyasha smirked. "He's tough already. He'll do good." He turned to leave but stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Thanks," he said. "For doing this for him." He turned his head away and stood there for a moment. After a pause he added, "I'm sure she'd thank you, too."

Sesshomaru blinked at Inuyasha's departing form, a slight frown appearing on his face. _Why does he think that matters? _He wondered silently. _The miko is no longer here. _He sighed and leaned his head back against the arch again, looking into the sky. It smelled of rain. He let that idle thought pull his mind from memories of the miko girl who had captured his attention. He knew what it was he was starting to feel for her, though he had no idea when such feelings had started to develop. It wasn't like it mattered, anyway. He had felt the same for another, once, and he'd promised himself he'd never go down that road again. Though logically he knew that Kagome was nothing like the woman of his past, he couldn't bring himself to trust her like that. He had guarded his heart for a reason, and he refused to take those walls down for anyone, regardless of how he felt.

**A/N The sequel to this story will focus more on the eventual romance between Sesshomaru and Kagome. This one won't as much.**


	4. Chapter 4

"Good," Sesshomaru praised calmly. "However, putting so much strength into your attack will do you no good if you cannot move fast enough to hit your opponent." He watched calmly as Shippo panted before him with his hands on his knees and a stick by his feet. They were both armed with sticks in place of swords for now. Shippo wasn't ready for the real thing yet.

"Okay… So I've just… gotta go faster?" Shippo panted. Sesshomaru nodded, senses trained on the surrounding woods. After the fall of Naraku, many of the lesser youkai that the hanyou had been using had been freed and now constantly attacked the village. Things had been calm for the last few days, but Sesshomaru refused to let down his guard. "How do I do that?" Shippo asked, pulling Sesshomaru from his thoughts.

"Train," he replied easily. He frowned minutely then and dropped his stick. "But not now. Come." He turned and began walking back to the village. Though Shippo grumbled quiet complaints, he followed without argument. Scarcely three minutes had passed when they reached their destination. "Go and rest," Sesshomaru commanded. And, upon hearing the boy's stomach rumble, he added, "And get something to eat."

Inuyasha was waiting for him impatiently by Kaede's hut when Sesshomaru arrived. "What took you so long?"

Sesshomaru thought to reply but instead asked, "Why did you call me?"

"Kohaku just got back from saving that village that was being destroyed by ogres," Inuyasha said. "He says he saw another horde of small fry heading this way."

Sesshomaru nodded and looked to the sky, scenting the air. "They will be here soon."

"Yeah. Get ready."

"Hn."

They both drew their swords and waited. Inuyasha growled as the first demons made their appearance and the villagers began to scatter. "Maybe we should've warned 'em," Inuyasha muttered as one of the farmers screamed almost like a small child and fled for his life.

"Perhaps," Sesshomaru agreed. He smoothly cut down several of the beasts while Inuyasha slashed and hacked like mad with his sword. Sesshomaru watched this and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. _He needs training as well. _However, he was reluctant to offer such training to his brother, if only because he knew Inuyasha wasn't likely to agree to it. _He will likely yell at me for the suggestion. _Unwilling to start an argument he had no intention of fighting, he kept his council. And besides… _I am no teacher. _With those thoughts in mind, he wrestled with the idea for a while before pushing it away entirely and focusing on the fight.


	5. Chapter 5

Inuyasha watched from his perch in a small tree as Sesshomaru and Shippo walked out into the woods again. _That's the third time today. _This was how it had been for the last few weeks; they would go off and train while Inuyasha would watch from afar. He followed them sometimes, trying to learn what he could by watching in secrecy. He contemplated doing so today, but… _I'm lucky I haven't been caught yet as it is. _How he _hadn't_ been caught yet escaped him, but he wasn't complaining.

Miroku sat himself at the base of the tree and grinned up at his friend. "Do I detect a hint of jealousy in your eyes?"

Inuyasha scowled and looked away. "I ain't jealous."

"Are you sure?" Miroku asked, still wearing that ridiculous grin. "You look like you are ready to lock Shippo in a hut and take his place."

"You're crazy," Inuyasha accused, avoiding the question.

"Am I?" Miroku questioned jovially. "Or are you just in denial?"

"I'm not- Oh, fuck it. What's it matter, anyway?"

Miroku smiled at the grumpy hanyou. "Why do you not tell your brother that you wish to be trained?" he asked. "I am sure he would not be adverse to the idea."

"Keh. He's doing enough already," Inuyasha muttered. "Shippo's a pain in the ass on his own, plus Sesshomaru's always helping me keep the village safe, patrolling, keeping an eye on Rin and Ah-Un, and god only knows what else."

"And?" Miroku pressed.

"I just don't wanna bother 'im, okay?" Inuyasha grumbled. Miroku shrugged and they both fell silent.

A few hours later, as the sun was setting, Sesshomaru and Shippo returned. The kit looked exhausted and haggard, but undeniably pleased with himself. _He must've improved. _Inuyasha stole a glance at Sesshomaru before quickly looking away. He thought hard, struggling to decide whether or not to ask for what he wanted while Shippo boasted to anyone who would listen about his latest achievement.

Still undecided, Inuyasha looked to Sesshomaru again and watched as his brother turned away and walked to the hut that had been given to him to stay in. It was gray, as though permanently stained with dust, and was distinctly separated from the other huts in that it had been built with a good distance between it and the rest of them. It had been abandoned ages ago. Inuyasha sighed as Sesshomaru disappeared inside. _I don't wanna bother him. _

Still, he couldn't deny that he wanted to be trained. And not just to get stronger. Maybe training together would help the brothers forge a connection of sorts. The one they had currently, one fostered by Kagome and kept alive by their alliance, was weak and fragile at best. _But is it wishful thinking to hope that training with our swords will ever change that?_ He sighed again and jumped out of the tree. For better or for worse, he wasn't asking. He would continue to watch from afar while they continued to train and everything would remain the same.


	6. Chapter 6

"Dammit!" Inuyasha swore as he struggled to perform a complex move with his sword that he had seen Sesshomaru execute earlier when the taiyoukai had been training alone. Inuyasha tried again, growing increasingly frustrated when he once again failed.

"You are moving too slow."

Inuyasha jumped severely and whirled around to see Sesshomaru standing behind him with his arms crossed. "Huh?" the hanyou asked dumbly.

"That move requires more speed than you are using," Sesshomaru said, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully at Inuyasha's sword. "You must move faster without sacrificing the strength of your attack.

"But…" Inuyasha's ears lowered slightly as he tried to recall how Sesshomaru had done it. "When am I supposed to go faster?"

"Throughout," Sesshomaru replied. "It is acceptable to go slow when practicing, but not as slow as you were."

Inuyasha thought it over before sighing heavily and letting his arms dangle by his sides with Tetsuaiga in hand. "Show me?" he asked in defeat.

Sesshomaru thought it over for a moment before nodding and drawing his sword. He slowly lead Inuyasha through the move, pausing every so often to correct his brother's form or explain something Inuyasha didn't understand. After they had done it together several times, Sesshomaru stepped back and had Inuyasha try again on his own. When, after several attempts, Inuyasha finally got it right, Sesshomaru allowed himself a small smirk. Inuyasha's eyes widened visibly and swung to his elder brother in shock. Sesshomaru nodded his approval, and Inuyasha grinned, beaming at him with his eyes. "Again," Sesshomaru said. "You will not improve by standing around."

Inuyasha nodded seriously and resumed his practicing. Sesshomaru was pleased when, after a couple of hours, he no longer needed to correct his brother. Inuyasha was a fast learner, it seemed. "Show me another?" Inuyasha asked, his excitement obvious despite the fact that he was sweating and slightly out of breath.

Sesshomaru nodded and once again began to show Inuyasha a new technique; one he decided would be more suited to his brother's style. _He relies more heavily on strength than anything else. _They continued until the sun began to set, and they had begun in the early morning. Inuyasha, too tired to continue, plopped down in the lush grass. Sesshomaru sat down more gracefully a few paces ahead of him.

"Hey…" Inuyasha said a few minutes later. "How did you find me, anyway?"

Sesshomaru smirked again. "Your swearing was quite loud."

Inuyasha blinked. "Oh. Well… Damn." He laughed loudly, presumably at himself, and Sesshomaru found himself smirking a bit wider. When Inuyasha's laughter finally died down he asked hopefully, "Can we do this again?"

Sesshomaru nodded without hesitation. "You did not need to ask."


	7. Chapter 7

Pain flared in Sesshomaru's ankle, though one wouldn't have known it by his expression. He crouched where he'd landed, hidden behind a thick cluster of bushes under the cover of night. He peered through a gap in the leaves, eyes flashing. _He will not get away. _

Sesshomaru was angry with more than just the attacker; he was just as angry with himself, if not more so. If he hadn't left the when he had… He growled lowly, taking care not to be heard, and, edging forward, watched as his opponent glanced warily around. The fool had actually landed an attack earlier, a fact that Sesshomaru was reminded of with every breath as his ankle throbbed. He would make this man pay for touching him. _And for touching her. _

He growled again, louder this time, his rage making his eyes flash red for a brief moment. He recovered himself quickly and breathed in deeply. The scent was still there, thick and sickening. His heart pounded in his chest. He was more than ready to kill, his claws itching to rip through flesh. Screw his sword; he wanted to do this with his bare hands. He _needed_ to. He didn't think he would ever be satisfied otherwise. _He will pay._ Snarling, he leapt from the bushes, his intent clear, ignoring the terrified pleas for mercy.

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**A/N So I decided to upload two chapters today. Enjoy!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Wow, it's been a while. I did not mean for time to escape me like this. I will try to update more regularly. Anyway, enjoy! **

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Rin was sitting with Sango in Kaede's hut when Sesshomaru returned. Several days had passed since her attack, and he cursed himself for not learning of it sooner. Sure he'd killed the culprit the day after, but that wasn't good enough. _I should have made him suffer, _he thought darkly as Rin smiled weakly up at him from the slayer's lap. She still looked pale. He noticed how tired she looked. Sango nodded to him and she and the elder miko left the hut. Suddenly unsure what to do with himself, he simply sat beside the girl he had come to care for. He was thankful when she broke the silence, saving him from having to do so.

"Did you beat him?" He nodded and she smiled. "Good." He tried to think of a response to that but faltered when she scooted closer to him and lay down with her head leaning against his leg. "I knew you would," she murmured.

Sesshomaru took a deep breath and forced himself to relax. He admitted to himself that he was uncomfortable. He wasn't used to kids. Rin was the only child, other than Shippo more recently, that he'd ever been around. It was a novel experience, really. He looked down at her, surprised to see that she was asleep already. Despite her long sleeves, he could still see the barest hint of the bandages that were wrapped around one arm up to the wrist. He knew that more bandages covered her small torso.

He felt a surge of protectiveness for the young girl, the second in the last few days, and it confused him as it had before. He couldn't help but wonder why he felt this way. _She is not mine. _And yet, he couldn't deny that from the moment he had revived her from the dead he'd taken care of her as though she was, nor could he deny that she seemed to look up to him as someone who was perhaps more than just a protector. These thoughts caused him to hesitate for a moment before he shook his head and pushed them away. _I am not her father, nor will I ever be. _He knew that. _She_ knew that. But the way she looked at him day after day… He looked down at her again and wondered, not for the first time, what to do about her.

How could he raise a child? He had no knowledge of children, let alone how they should be raised. Really, he considered it lucky that he even knew how to provide for her basic needs. How was he supposed to raise a child when he himself had never been raised by anyone? He had grown up utterly alone. How could he ever hope to raise a child? Sesshomaru looked up to the ceiling, noting with mild surprise a flicker of determination deep within himself. He realized then that despite his hesitance, his lack of knowledge, the thousands of 'what if's' floating in the air… in spite of all of this, he was willing to try.


	9. Chapter 9

"How did you know?"

Sesshomaru stood leaning against the torii arch with his arms crossed, a slight frown on his face. He opened his eyes to regard his brother. "I didn't."

"Keh," Inuyasha muttered grumpily. He stood a few feet away from Sesshomaru. "So how did you find out?"

Sessohmaru's frown deepened minutely, but his voice was devoid of emotion when he replied. "He was covered in her scent."

Inuyasha scowled angrily. "Yeah. Makes sense." Rin had bled. A lot. There were still stains on the tree she'd been in front of when she was attacked. "Did you break the bastard's sword?"

Sesshomaru nodded, his eyes growing dark. "Even Totosai will be unable to repair it," he growled. Inuyasha murmured his satisfaction, but Sesshomaru ignored him and glanced back to the elder miko's hut. Rin sat in his line of sight with Sango and Shippo, playing carefully with the kit's top. She was doing better now, but it would be a while before she was healed completely. Normally, Sesshomaru would have left the village by now (he acknowledged that he had a habit of wandering) but his strong need to make sure she recovered well compelled him to stay.

"Where were you?" Inuyasha asked, a frown evident in his voice.

Sesshomaru continued to watch Rin as he considered how to answer. "I was dealing with something," he replied honestly, though vaguely, cutting a glance in his brother's direction.

Inuyasha's gaze sharpened. "Dealing with _what_, exactly?"

"It doesn't matter."

"The hell it doesn't." Sesshomaru ignored that comment and watched as Shippo spun the top for Rin. She smiled wanly from her seat in the slayer's lap and four sets of eyes watched as the top skidded across the dirt. It came to a slow spinning stop just inches from the young girl. Sesshomaru watched as she reached for it, cringing in pain from extending her injured arm. Inuyasha must have noticed his displeasure then because he said, "Oi, you worried about her?"

"No."

"Liar."

"Shut up."

"No."

"Idiot."

"Asshole." The childishness of the exchange drew Sesshomaru's attention entirely away from Rin and he frowned at his brother. Inuyasha smirked at him, clearly amused. "We're acting like kids."

Sesshomaru sniffed. "_You_ were."

Inuyasha laughed, though whether at Sesshomaru's words or Sesshomaru himself, the taiyoukai wasn't sure. With a wave of his hand, Inuyasha gestured for the elder of the two to follow as the hanyou walked back to the kids. As Sesshomaru followed, he slowly began to realize what Inuyasha had been trying to do. The fact that it actually worked was even more surprising. Sesshomaru huffed lightly and glanced to Inuyasha for confirmation. Inuyasha just smirked. "Everyone needs a little distraction sometimes." Two identical sets of golden eyes watched as Rin and Shippo played under the taijiya's watchful gaze. "Even you."

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**Posted 02-14-15.**


	10. Chapter 10

"You're an asshole."

Sesshomaru glared at his accuser, his eyes cold. "I did nothing."

A snarl, a flash of teeth, a swish of a tail. "What the hell's your problem?"

"You do not belong here." Sesshomaru stood in front of the entrance to the miko's hut, guarding the terrified child inside. He glared at the man before him. _He needs to leave. _

"The hell I don't!" Blue eyes snapped with irritation. "I came to see my woman!"

_His wo- _He quickly cut that thought off, refusing to acknowledge those words. As much as he ignored his own feelings toward Kagome, slight though those feeling were, he still didn't like the idea of someone else vying for her attentions. "Use your nose," he commanded coolly. "She is no longer here."

"Liar!"

Sesshomaru was almost ready to draw his sword and _force_ the fool to leave when Inuyasha suddenly approached them, inadvertently saving the wolf's hide. "He ain't lyin', Koga," the hanyou said calmly, his hands in his sleeves. "She went home months ago."

Koga's tail drooped as he glanced between the two brothers. "You're serious…?"

"Yeah, now would you shut up?" Inuyasha all but snapped, his calm demeanor from moments before vanishing. "Can't you tell you're freaking people out with all your damn yelling?"

Koga finally seemed to catch the scent of fear emanating from the hut at the taiyoukai's back. He scoffed and rolled his eyes, jerking a thumb at Sesshomaru. "You sure it's not because of _him_?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. _How dare he imply…_

"Trust me, it ain't 'cause of him," Inuyasha said simply.

Koga scented the air again. "It's a kid," he muttered with a frown. "Not that I'm saying I believe you, but why would a kid be scared of me?"

Inuyasha growled at her. "You _killed _her, idiot!"

Koga's eyes widened in shock before narrowing angrily. "What?! No! I never-"

"You take responsibility for your wolves, and they screwed up _big _time," Inuyasha told him seriously cutting him off.

"You are lucky I don't kill you for it." Sesshomaru's threat was clear, and Koga took a few wary steps back. Kagome's face popped into the taiyoukai's mind. _If she had never claimed this fool as her friend… _He growled softly. "Leave. Before I change my mind."

Hesitating for only a second, Koga bounced lightly on the balls of his feet before turning tail and fleeing from the village. The brothers watched him go in agitated silence for a long moment. Inuyasha was the first to break the tension, a smirk spreading across his face. "Keh. I've been tryin' to make him do that for years."

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**Posted 02-19-15.**


	11. Chapter 11

"Sesshomaru-sama! Look! I'm all better now! See?"

Sesshomaru watched as Rin ran in happy circled before him, her arms stretched out from her sides as though she were trying to fly. Though all the taiyoukai did was nod, Inuyasha could see a hint of warmth in his eyes that communicated far more to the child than Sesshomaru would probably ever say. Whether or not Rin was aware would probably remain a mystery forever, though, for she gave no indication of having seen or not. Instead, she ran off to go play, Shippo not far behind. Sesshomaru had declared a break from training while Rin recovered, more than likely because he hadn't wanted to be to far from her at any given time in case something happened. Inuyasha figured one more day of relaxation couldn't hurt.

He yawned and leaned back into the tree he sat in while Sesshomaru wandered away. A puppy ear twitched, unconsciously taking in the sounds of the village as his eyes closed. Merchants loudly advertising their goods, children playing, farmer's working in the fields, people talking, a baby crying, someone screaming… His eyes snapped open and he sat bolt upright, scanning the area for any sign of danger. Then, as if on cue, Sango came running around a corner, laughing and screaming as Miroku ran behind, tickling her whenever he could reach. They disappeared inside the hut they shared together.

Inuyasha shook his head and jumped out of the tree, eager to escape the assault on his ears. He wandered throughout the village, ignoring the people who still warily avoided him even after all he'd done for them. He passed by a group of kids playing together in the shade of a large tree. They each proclaimed themselves to be powerful demons and began play fighting. One of them swung a stick and shouted, "Super Ultra Wind Attack!" Inuyasha shook his head, supposing that the boy actually meant Wind Scar. He had just started heading toward his own hut for a nice nap when he noticed Rin and Shippo running up to him. They each had their hands behind their backs.

"We made something for you!" Rin exclaimed.

"What?" he asked warily. _I swear, of this is some kind of prank… _

"You have to close your eyes!" Shippo replied with just a little too much excitement.

Grumbling under his breath, Inuyasha complied as something was placed on his head that felt suspiciously like a crown and something else that covered him like a cape was draped over his shoulders. He fidgeted as more things were placed on his arms, legs, and so on. When he opened his eyes, he was covered in flowers.

He roared.

Flowers flew everywhere.

With equal squeals of mock-terror, Rin and Shippo ran for it, a furious and embarrassed hanyou chasing after them.

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**Posted 02-20-15.**


	12. Chapter 12

Sesshomaru watched with well-concealed amusement as Inuyasha sulked under a tree near the miko's hut. The hanyou was covered in flowers… and he'd been coerced into swearing not to remove them. _For now. _Every so often, Rin and Shippo would return from the nearby field with more flowers to decorate their hanyou, causing their living sculpture to sulk further. Yes, Sesshomaru decided this was highly amusing… Until Rin placed a crown of flowers on his head.

Inuyasha ceased his grumbling long enough to laugh and Sesshomaru sent him a glare. Inuyasha ignored it. With a huff, Sesshomaru turned his attention to Rin. The child beamed at him, and he couldn't quite bring himself to remove her gift from his person. What reason had he to take away that smile? Certainly not one that was good enough, he decided. Waving his hand to show his lack of concern with her actions, he watched as her smile widened. He did his best to ignore how her happiness almost, _almost_ rubbed off on him. She turned then and, smiling from ear to ear, skipped away to rejoin her partner-in-crime at the field.

Inuyasha was still smirking him. Sesshomaru's glare hardened minutely as the hanyou teased him, calling him various names such as "Flower Prince" and "Daisy Queen".

Sesshomaru hated to be teased.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could take it. The taiyoukai had almost settled on a suitable punishment for the half-breed's insolence when he had an even better idea. Allowing himself a small smirk, he interrupted his brother's speech by reminding him of one simple fact: "Unlike you, I did not promise to keep wearing this, little brother."

Inuyasha swore loudly and Sesshomaru's amusement returned. Moments later, the young duo returned as well. With a shout of "Aw, _hell_ no!" Inuyasha jumped to his feet and fled for his life from the flower-bearing children. He disappeared around a building and Shippo followed while Rin panted at the building's side.

She stared in the direction the boys had disappeared, looking disappointed. Then she turned and walked slowly back to the silent taiyoukai, who remained sitting where he'd been before. "Will Sesshomaru-sama wear it?" she begged with an adorable little pout. Sesshomaru started down at the colorful crown she held in her hands. Pink, baby blue, sunny yellow, light purple, bright white… Really, what could he say?

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**Posted 02-23-15.**


	13. Chapter 13

"Oi! Where the hell're you going?!"

Sesshomaru didn't have to stop… but he did it anyway. He turned slightly to look at his brother. "There is something I need to take care of."

"Really?" Inuyasha asked with upraised eyebrows. "And what's that?"

"It is none of your concern." Sesshomaru wasn't trying to be cold; he really wasn't, but this situation had him more irritated than he would have liked to admit. And that was putting it lightly. He wished the whole thing would just go away, but he knew it wouldn't. However, Inuyasha could be persuaded to leave. Or at least, so he hoped.

"Keh. I'm going with you." Inuyasha glared at Sesshomaru, who frowned minutely, as though daring him to disagree.

"Why?"

"Does it matter?"

Sesshomaru refused to argue. It was a waste of time; time that, right now, he didn't have. "Fine." He barely hid the growl from his voice. He spun around on his heel and continued the way he'd been going, largely ignoring the hanyou who had chosen to follow him.

This encouraged a new thought, something to keep his mind off of the situation for now. _Why do people follow me? _He didn't encourage it, though he didn't really _dis_courage it, either. The three traveling companions the miko and her friends knew weren't the only ones who had ever followed him; they were just the most recent. There had been, were still, others. He wondered absently how many were still alive, how many had died, if any. He prayed no one else was gone.

"Where're we going, anyway?" Inuyasha asked, breaking his train of thought.

Sesshomaru blinked and pointed wordlessly at a lone mountain in the distance. Without the usual crowd, he guessed it would only take a few days to walk there. "We are headed to the peak."

Inuyasha nodded. "Okay." It was wonderfully silent after that and Sesshomaru enjoyed the peace. It helped set his mind at ease. But then Inuyasha interrupted his thoughts once again. "So are you gonna fill me in or what?"

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to refuse and mentally sighed. _I suppose I should, if only because this will be affecting him as well. _Sesshomaru answered Inuyasha's question with a nod. "But not now," he added after a moment's thought. "Later."

"Fine," Inuyasha agreed. "But you better fucking do it before we get there." Sesshomaru nodded again, thankful for the time to organize his thoughts so that he could explain without revealing too much.

* * *

**Posted 02-24-15.**


	14. Chapter 14

"Sesshomaru, what's with you?" Inuyasha asked with a frown. "I know you said you'd explain later, but-"

"Then be patient." Inuyasha's ears flattened somewhat at the irritation in his brother's tone, but he didn't back down. At least, not internally. Externally he fell silent while internally railing against his brother for his secrecy.

It was nearly nighttime by this point, and Inuyasha began to think. _He said he has something to take care of, but what? Maybe something family related? No… our old man's dead, and somehow I don't think he gives a rat's ass about his mom. So what, then? A demon? Bandits? Some crazy idiot with a fucking death wish? _He shook his head, doubting those possibilities. _No, if it was something like that he wouldn't be so dead set on keeping it a secret. He'd just tell me. _He sighed inwardly. _I think I'm actually more confused than I was before, if that's even possible. Damn, he's hard to figure out. It's a wonder Kagome ever did it… I doubt it's possible to figure him out fully. If it is, I doubt anyone's ever done it. _He mentally pounded himself on the head.

_Okay, focus, focus! Now what does Sesshomaru consider a threat? Someone who threatens Rin or, to some extent, Shippo and the others. Anyone with ties to Naraku. Mikos who hate youkai, which would be all but Kagome. Small fry, though they're only a minor threat. Probably all monks but Miroku. Probably Koga. Hell, wolves in general. Demons slayers, except Sango and Kohaku. Cats. Well, maybe not all of them. He's fine with Kirara, after all. Didn't like those Panther Devas, though… Jeez, I don't think this is helping. _

_Um… Maybe he ran into one of dad's old enemies? _Inuyasha quickly dismissed that thought, certain that Sesshomaru would have informed him of it if that were the case. _Not that Sesshomaru ever talks about 'im. Something big must've happened between them if he's still holding onto it. Okay, anyway, back on track. Focus. _

He thought for a while, trying to figure out what kind of threat would have Sesshomaru so agitated and compel him to keep the situation under wraps. When no ideas were forthcoming, Inuyasha growled internally. _Why must this be so hard to do?! I try and I try but it doesn't fucking work! ARGH! MY BRAIN FUCKING HURTS! DAMN YOU SESSHOMARU! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! _

Inuyasha scowled at nothing for a long moment before sighing and forcing his scowl to disappear. _The last thing I need is for Sesshomaru to notice and ask what the hell's wrong with me. There is no fucking way I'm telling him I've been trying to figure out that damn mind of his. _

Sesshomaru spoke then, his voice soft, startling Inuyasha out of his thoughts. "Have you ever heard of Azaria?

* * *

**Posted 02-25-15.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry this took so long... I've been sick. **

* * *

Inuyasha frowned deeply. "Azaria?" He thought carefully for a moment. "Yeah, I've heard of her. She's that warrior princess, right?" Sesshomaru nodded trying to ignore the way his heart pounded at the image that popped into his mind. Inuyasha looked into his brother's closed expression in confusion. "What's she have to do with any of this?"

Sesshomaru sighed heavily. "Everything."

Inuyasha's interest sharpened. "What do you mean?"

Sesshomaru frowned at the sky and answered carefully. "She has the ability to open portals and travel through time," he said slowly. "It is how she lives in this time and not in the distant past where she was born."

"Distant past?"

"Yes. Several thousand years before even Totosai was born."

"Jeez…" Inuyasha muttered. "And here I thought only Kagome could travel through time." Sesshomaru nodded again. "Alright, keep going," Inyuyasha urged.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes but complied. "She is powerful and intelligent and highly trained with all manner of blades, especially the sword. She uses those skills to manipulate anyone she can and kill those she sees as a threat, though she rarely does such things for herself. However, when moved to anger, she will not hesitate to strike on her own." He fell silent after that, unsure what other relevant information he could give.

Inuyasha was also quiet for a moment before asking cautiously, "How do you know all this, Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru's face was carefully neutral as he replied. "We were… allies for a time."

Inuyasha suspected there was more to it than that, but didn't press the matter, though he was undeniably curious. "So what's the situation? And how's she involved?"

At this, Sesshomaru's irritation returned. "You will see when we get there."

Inuyasha muttered a grumpy "Keh" but otherwise said nothing and, much to Sesshomaru's relief, didn't ask any more questions. He didn't want to continue this conversation. He was much more focused on trying to prepare himself for the upcoming reunion. It was a day he had hoped would never come. He had never wanted to see her again. He'd left her behind for a reason. _Sometimes it is better for the past to remain buried. _

* * *

**Posted 02-27-15.**


	16. Chapter 16

**So I think I am finally over my illness. Thank goodness. Anyway, enjoy. **

* * *

"You really don't want me to be here, do you?" Inuyasha accused, though without anger.

"Not particularly."

"So why'd you let me come along?"

"I did not have time to argue with you."

"Is this situation that serious?"

Sesshomaru thought that question over for a moment before murmuring gravely, "If we do not hurry, it will be."

Inuyasha's expression grew serious. They had reached the mountain about a half-hour ago and already the climb was steep. Inuyasha grumbled constantly, muttering expletives each time he had a moment of trouble, but a quick glance to the side showed that Sesshomaru was having no trouble at all. Inuyasha growled at him. _Damn… Perfect… Bastard… _If Sesshomaru heard his growl (and Inuyasha didn't see how he couldn't have) he gave no indication of it.

Sesshomaru mostly ignored his brother as they ascended the mountain. He mostly kept his attention focused on the familiar scent that filled his nose, threatening to bring up memories he'd rather make disappear, but he made sure to keep an eye on Inuyasha. Sesshomaru himself was fine, but he doubted his brother was doing that well climbing this particular mountain. It was steeper than most, even for demons. Sure enough, a sidelong glance showed Inuyasha teetering precariously backwards, his arms pinwheeling in an effort to maintain his balance.

Inuyasha let out a sharp cry as he began to fall. Unable to catch himself, his feet left the ground, causing him to start to fall toward the ground far below. But then a hand shot out and grabbed his sleeve, pulling him back up to safety on solid ground before he fell more than a few inches. Looking less than amused at Inuyasha's panicked expression, Sesshomaru shoved him ahead to prevent Inuyasha from falling again and they resumed walking.

Inuyasha grumbled about not needing any help, but he was inwardly thankful that he'd been caught. He really didn't like the idea of falling that far. Sure he would have survived it, but it would have hurt when he landed. A lot. Taking a deep breath, he realized that there was an unfamiliar scent in the air. White flowers, dew, and trees, all mixed together into one unique scent. Some scent's, like Sesshomaru's, were complex, filled with many things and difficult (or in Sesshomaru's case nearly impossible) to understand. But not this one. It was simple but… nice.

He looked back to ask Sesshomaru if this was the scent they were following but quickly fell silent. There was an odd expression on Sesshomaru's face as he gazed at the sky, as though his mind was elsewhere. Inuyasha was unsure what to make of the subtle shifts in his brother's scent, giving brief clues into the elder's emotions. Anger was easy enough to recognize, but the reason for it, as well as the identities of the other emotions, were unknown to him. Confused but unwilling to press the matter, Inuyasha kept walking.

* * *

**Posted 03-02-15.**


	17. Chapter 17

Just as the moon started to rise, the brothers reached the peak. Taking the lead, Sesshomaru walked a good distance ahead, emerging into a clearing a few minutes later. It was surrounded by woodland. Inuyasha followed behind, awed by the sight of a young, beautiful woman standing in the center of the clearing as though waiting for them. She looked to be about Sesshomaru's age and was clearly a purebred dog demon. Her hair, of similar length and style to Kagome's, though slightly longer, was white and her light, fair skin was smooth and bore no marks. She wore a thin white dress that flowed elegantly when she moved, reaching to just above her knees. Inuyasha noticed belatedly that she was barefoot much as he was. Her feet were soft and undeniably feminine. Her sapphire blue eyes, which had rounded pupils much like a human's, gazed to the two males calmly. She seemed to glow softly in the moonlight, a fact that made Sesshomaru freeze beside him.

The woman (Azaria, Inuyasha assumed) walked slowly toward them, barely glancing at Inuyasha before turning her full attention to Sesshomaru. Up close, Inuyasha notices that her claws were retracted, leaving smooth, perfect nails in their place. He had learned from Sesshomaru recently that all demon claws were retractable, and both males had them retracted as well.

Inuyasha couldn't _not_ notice her power at this proximity. Her power seemed usurped only by Sesshomaru's. Still, despite being so powerful, she managed to seem mildly unthreatening. It helped that the thin black string around her waist, presumably meant to hold her sword, was empty.

Azaria stopped walking just in front of Sesshomaru who, apparently able to move again, quickly took a step back from her. Inuyasha was puzzled by his reaction, but wisely held his tongue. Somehow, he doubted his brother really wanted to have that conversation here. Or at all. He watched silently as Azaria looked the taiyoukai over slowly, seeming to take every detail in with great care. Sesshomaru withstood the scrutiny stiffly and silently.

The female inuyoukai finally finished looking the still-rigid taiyoukai over and turned placid eyes onto his face. Then, with a soft smile that seemed to catch him off guard, she spoke. "I knew you'd come, Sesshomaru."

* * *

**Posted 03-03-15.**


	18. Chapter 18

Sesshomaru couldn't quite stop himself from backing away from the woman he'd once known, and when she spoke, using such soft tones that nearly had him convinced that she _couldn't _be the woman he remembered, he grew even more wary.

"I knew you'd come, Sesshomaru."

Yes, he was aware that she could have easily sensed them coming, but… She'd anticipated his actions. Now that was more like the Azaria he used to know. Still, it unsettled him. What was she planning? He didn't trust her, had told her as much before, didn't want to believe anything she had to say. But without her knowledge, people would die. People he was sworn to protect. "Then you know why I am here."

"Yes," she acknowledged serenely. "However, I don't know that I am inclined to help you."

"I do not need help," Sesshomaru stated stiffly. "I have defeated them before; I will do it again."

"That may be true… However, are you prepared for the pestilence they will bring?" He narrowed his eyes as she studied his face carefully. "You did not have to concern yourself with it last time, but your circumstances have changed. You are no longer alone."

"Yes," he growled through tightly clenched teeth. He _knew_ she could tell that he was concerned, and he hated it. He hated that she could read him so well. "Do not act as though this does not concern you," he warned coolly. "You are the one who brought them here; this is your fault."

Her gaze sharpened minutely. "If you are seeking an apology-"

"I am not," he cut in, his own gaze growing cold.

"Okay, what the hell's going on?!" Inuyasha demanded loudly, looking back and forth between the two. "You aren't making any goddamn sense!"

The two full inuyoukai looked at him simultaneously. The hanyou seemed to shrink away from their equally intense looks. Looking away, Sesshomaru replied, "I said I would explain and I will." Glaring at Azaria, he let his anger show slightly. "You _will_ make it, and you _will_ do it correctly, as I know you can." Though her aura rose up in challenge, shoving rudely against his, she said nothing to refuse his demands. Satisfied, he turned and began walking away. "Come, Inuyasha. We are leaving." He listened with half an ear as Inuyasha hesitated for a brief moment before hurrying to catch up with him. After a few minutes, Sesshomaru spoke again, stemming the flow of questions before they even began. "Wait until we are off the mountain… I will explain everything then." He really didn't want her eavesdropping.

"Everything?" Inuyasha asked from where he walked by the taiyoukai's side.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and, frowning visibly, nodded. It occurred to him, at least vaguely, that he perhaps shouldn't have used the word "everything" in that sentence, but it was too late to take it back now, and he ignored the thought. He had far bigger concerns right now, one of them being putting as much distance between himself and Azaria that he possibly could. Sighing inwardly, he looked up to the starry night sky. _Why is it that I can never escape her? _

* * *

**Posted 03-04-15.**


	19. Chapter 19

"Okay, first question." Inuyasha waited for a nod of approval before continuing. "First off, how'd she know you'd come?"

"Irrelevant," Sesshomaru dismissed easily. "Next."

_Okay… he's in a bad mood now. Him speaking in incomplete sentences is never a good sign. _"What the hell were you two talking about?"

Sesshomaru sighed softly. "Years ago Azaria discovered that she could bring others through her time portals and brought two youkai from the past to this era. They unleashed a great sickness that killed many. In the end, I was forced to intervene to prevent more needless death." _And to avenge them. _

"And this illness," Inuyasha started, "did it just kill humans, or…?"

"It kills humans and demons alike." As this sunk in, Sesshomaru rounded a bend, following a scent he knew too well and had hoped never to come across again. Its foul stench burned in his nose.

Inuyasha broke the silence. "So these guys… The ones who caused the illness… They're back?" Sesshomaru simply nodded. "And you weren't affected by the illness at all before?"

"No."

"Will _I_ be?"

Sesshomaru looked at him seriously. "I don't know."

"Well… shit." Sesshomaru said nothing, though he agreed with the sentiment. It was once again silent. He had no intention of initiating any conversation, leaving the task to Inuyasha.

However, the hanyou didn't have any more questions for now. He did, however, have plenty of concerns. The biggest one was the potential of this illness to harm him. Of course, worried though he was, he didn't let it show, hiding his feelings underneath a gruff exterior. A glance to the side revealed that his brother was concealing his feelings as well. His expression was almost deceptively neutral, but Inuyasha wasn't fooled. _He ain't happy… Hell, I think he might actually be concerned. Which means I should be worried, too. He's never concerned. Well, almost never._

Inuyasha recalled the attack on Rin, as well as various instances where Kagome had been harmed or at least in danger. Those moments were proof that the distant taiyoukai cared, at least somewhat. Enough to feel worry anyway, as out of character as that was. _Still, he doesn't get worried over nothing. Guess I'd better be on my guard, just in case. The last thing I want is for the asshole to have to save my butt again. _He smirked to himself, wondering what Kagome would say of she knew he was calling his brother names again.

* * *

**Posted 03-05-15.**


	20. Chapter 20

"I have one more question."

Sesshomaru looked at him, grateful for the distraction from his thoughts. "What?"

"You told her to make something," Inuyasha said. "What?"

Sesshomaru looked away, irritated that he was once again forced to revisit the past. "Azaria is a healer, and powerful one," he replied. "She is capable of healing almost anything, including this illness."

"You told her to make the antidote," Inuyasha breathed in sudden understanding. Sesshomaru nodded. "Is she actually gonna do it?"

"It is doubtful." Yes he had threatened her, but that didn't mean she would heed his threat. _She is careless in her confidence. _She probably believed that he would back down. He may have hesitated before, but that had been a long time ago. _It was only once… I will not allow it to happen again._

As they walked through a stream and through dense woodland, the area surrounding them began to grow eerily silent. Birds stopped their midnight songs. Bugs no longer buzzed and flitted about. Animals ceased in their activities and fled to their homes. A sickening green fog swirled around the brothers' feet. Inuyasha's ears pricked, swiveling around as they tried to pick up on the lost sounds. He wrinkled his nose and covered it with a sleeve. "Ugh, what the hell's that _stench_?"

Sesshomaru didn't reply, instead pausing in his step and gazing with deceptive calm through the trees to his side. As the fog slowly cleared, beginning to reveal what lay at its center, his eyes narrowed. _It has begun. _

Inuyasha stopped beside him and followed his gaze. His eyes widened in horror. A body of what used to be a man lay semi-concealed on the ground in the bushes. The corpse's eyes and mouth were wide open. His skin was slowly melting away, leaving a horrible, fetid pool beneath him. His eyes were blackened as though they had been scorched, leaking tears of blood down the sides of his face. His fangs were crumbling into his wide-stretched mouth and his armor was dented from a blow he had taken recently. "What… what is…" Inuyasha mumbled before adding disjointedly, "…this?"

Looking away from the corpse, Sesshomaru forced himself to remain calm. _I knew him. _Resisting the urge to clench his fists, he turned to look into his brother's troubled face. "This… is the sickness."

* * *

**Posted 03-06-15**


	21. Chapter 21

**Ugh, sorry this took so long. I was super busy over the weekend, and then yesterday I was just being lazy and unmotivated. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

The brothers resumed walking without another word as Inuyasha struggled to get the image of the melting corpse out of his mind. He glanced somewhat warily to Sesshomaru, who walked at his side. Sesshomaru had grown eerily calm, and Inuyasha knew what that meant. His brother's demeanor failed to fool him. _He's furious._

Sesshomaru ignored the curious and vaguely worried looks he kept receiving from his brother. His eyes were locked on the path as though he was focused on his task, but his mind remained with the corpse he had left behind. _Why did you not come find me? You know I would have helped you… So why? _His face betrayed none of his confusion and anger. He glanced up to the sky, noting the position of the moon. A sense of sadness settled over him. _I knew him._ They had traveled together. That man had been one of the few he had ever trusted, and one of even fewer whom he'd allowed to grow close to him. They had almost been… friends. _I never wished this on him. _

Inuyasha glanced around, every sense on high alert. _Since Sessshomaru is immune to this illness I might be too, but I'm not taking the chance. _He strained his senses for any hint of danger, scanning high and low for any enemies.

He searched everywhere; under rocks, in bushes, behind trees, under water… but he found nothing. And it was making him… twitchy. Sesshomaru must have noticed, too, for he sent Inuyasha a vaguely annoyed look. Inuyasha glared at him, ignoring the sensible part of his mind that reminded him that Sesshomaru shouldn't be riled any further. Sesshomaru scowled at him for a moment before looking away again. Inuyasha's mood, already poor after the sight not long before, soured even more. "What's your problem?"

"Nothing." Sesshomaru, damn him, didn't sound like he was affected at all.

"You're a fucking liar," Inuyasha accused hotly.

Sesshomaru turned his head to glare at him. Why couldn't Inuyasha leave well enough alone? The past was in the past. It was done, over, buried in a lonely grave Sesshomaru had abandoned long ago. _So why does it continue to haunt me? _

Inuyasha seemed to be further angered by the lack of response. Growling he demanded, "What the fuck are you hiding?"

Somehow, the taiyoukai remained calm. "It is none of your concern, Inuyasha." The reprimand in his tone was almost harsh, but Sesshomaru didn't care. He just wanted this subject to be dropped. But then, he'd always known he had terrible luck.

"Like hell it isn't," the hanyou fumed.

"It has nothing to do with you," Sesshomaru replied coolly.

"For God's sake-" Inuyasha started to exclaim in exasperation before a ball of green gas hit him hard, knocking him back and making the world go black.

* * *

**Posted 03-10-15.**


	22. Chapter 22

He had sensed the attack too late. He had just opened his mouth to issue a warning as Inuyasha raised his voice, but the words came too late. Those few seconds seemed prolonged as Sesshomaru relieved a past horror. He watched in silence as his brother flew backward, smashing through several trees before landing behind a sizeable rock that hid him from view. Sesshomaru turned away and looked in the opposite direction. He radiated calm. His hand made no movement toward his sword. He glanced over his opponent, his face betraying a slight frown. "You have changed."

"And yet, you're always the same."

"You killed him," he said as though stating a simple fact.

"It was necessary." The man before him, sword in hand, shrugged unapologetically. "He was in our way, so we hunted him down."

"You say 'we'…and yet you are alone."

"Yes, I am alone. And now, so are you."

Sesshomaru glanced back, the foul aroma of the illness filling his nose. The green gas was beginning to fill the clearing. He heard the sound of a boot shifting in the grass, the soft whoosh of the air as a blade cut through it. He caught the sword in his hand, ignoring the sharp bite of steel digging into his palm. Turning his head slightly, he glared out of the corner of his eye at his attacker. "You are slow." He disappeared, reappearing behind his opponent in the span of mere milliseconds. He waited until the man turned around, waited until he could see the horror in those dark eyes before plunging his claws through his gut. Sesshomaru watched as the man fell to the ground, writhing in agony as he slowly died. He allowed the green glow of his _dokkaso_ to fade and knelt before the man's face. "You have failed."

The man choked on a laugh. "B-But… I haven't. They… They are both… dead."

"You are wrong." Sesshomaru shifted slightly to allow the man to see the truth with his own eyes. The green gas was gone. "One yet lives."

Black eyes widened. "No…"

Sesshomaru stood. Staring impassively down, he pressed his boot into the wound he had created. As much as he hated this man, he took no pleasure in the howl of pain that emitted from him. "Where is the other?" Sesshomaru demanded.

"Nowhere… you need to know," the man gasped.

Sesshomaru pressed harder, earning a scream. "Where. Is. He?" His voice was deadly soft, but it had gained a steely edge that sent chills down most people's spines.

There was another howl of pain as he pressed down again, then, finally, an answer. "G-Go to the plateau… If yo-u're that willing to d… die." With that, Sesshomaru removed his foot and watched as the life faded from the man's eyes.

* * *

**Posted 03-11-15.**


	23. Chapter 23

"Holy _shit_! That hurt like a _mother _fucker!"

Sesshomaru huffed softly in faint amusement and turned around. Inuyasha walked toward him slowly, rubbing his stomach and grumbling to himself. Sesshomaru's gaze drifted to the sky. _He is immune._

"What happened here?" Sesshomaru followed Inuyasha's gaze to the corpse by their feet. "Was I out that long?"

Sesshomaru shook his head. "No. It was only a few minutes."

Inuyasha frowned down at the body. "Huh. And I assumed they were strong."

"This one was not… But the other is."

"_How _strong?"

"Strong enough."

"That ain't a fucking answer."

Sesshomaru allowed his brother to speak without retaliation. He was unconcerned with his brother's words right now. _The plateau… Why there? _He turned his eyes to the north, seeing in his mind's eye the light stone illuminated by the sun. The afternoon had been warm, the area peaceful, and the small entourage that rested there had been relaxed, if only for a short while.

Sesshomaru shook the memory away. He noticed that Inuyasha was frowning at him. "So where's this other guy?" the hanyou asked.

"North," Sesshomaru replied immediately.

Inuyasha looked suspicious. "He tell you that?"

Sesshomaru glanced down. A pool of blood had spread around the body of the man responsible for killing those the taiyoukai had sworn to protect. Revenge was not so sweet. "Yes."

"I don't trust him," Inuyasha stated flatly.

Sesshomaru held his brother's gaze calmly for a long moment. "Then trust _me_ instead." Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.

* * *

**Posted 03-12-15.**


	24. Chapter 24

The plateau was hot. The summer sun beat down on the white and gray rock, reflecting harshly on two pairs of golden eyes. Inuyasha squinted and shielded his eyes with a hand as he checked the position of the sun. Sesshomaru glanced around. _Why bring me here after so long? Why this place?_ He walked toward the forest that covered the majority of the surface of the plateau, despite the lack of soil and water.

Inuyasha, who had paused a moment before, jogged to catch up with him. "Oi, is he here, or what?" He had tried sensing their enemy but it seemed he was hiding himself, hf he was even here.

"Yes." Sesshomaru's tone was icy. His aura snapped and twitched irritably, at odds with his calm demeanor. _He is here… And this time he will not get away. _As he thought this, a voice echoed into his mind from the distant past.

_"You know, this is a nice spot. We should stop here for a while."_

Sesshomaru remembered looking around, wondering if his companion was right.

_"No, let's find a place that's a bit more open." _

Sesshomaru, who had remained silent, had listened with half an ear as the two argued. He'd lead them slowly through the trees, taking the same path he and Inuyasha were taking now.

_"We'll rest here."_

The clearing had been sunny, much like it was now. But even after so long, the ground was stained. Inuyasha frowned, scenting the air. "This is old," he said, looking at the stain nearest to him. Sesshomaru's only response was to nod. Inuyasha cut a sidelong glance at his brother, suspecting that he knew more than he'd been saying. "A few centuries sound about right?"

Sesshomaru just nodded again, forcing himself to look away from the particularly large bloodstain near the center of the clearing. He gritted his teeth. He didn't want to be here. _If I hadn't failed back then… I wouldn't need to be. _

* * *

**Posted 03-13-15.**


	25. Chapter 25

As he waited for his enemy to show himself, Sesshomaru's mind drifted to the past against his will.

_The present disappeared. The blood faded away. The clearing looked younger, if only somewhat. A group of eight warriors lounged about in various stated of repose, forming a sort of half circle around the center of the clearing._

_A cat demon with shaggy brown hair and an equally brown tail leaned against the trunk of a fairly large tree. His tail twitched as he yawned widely and stretched, slowly sliding down onto his butt. "Ahh… This is the life." A few soft murmurs of agreement were his only answer. He placed his bow at his side and closed his eyes, his furry ears twitching._

_The other members of the group already had their eyes closed. Two of them sat back to back with their arms crossed about ten feet to the neko's right. By each side of them was a sword with no sheath. The only difference between the two men was the length of their hair and the color of their eyes. To the right of the cat demon were two silver-haired dog demons who sat by side by side. One was slim, though not fragile, while the other was large and broad-shouldered. The slim one lay on his back with his head on his arms. A scythe lay by his right side, the blade shaped like a crescent moon standing up. The large man sat comfortably on the ground and had a heavy axe strapped to his back. Not far from them was another dog demon with black hair long enough to entirely cover his eyes, but no longer. A black handled sword in its equally black sheath was on his back. He was leaning back on his elbows with his face tilted to the sky. Diagonally to his left, completing the half circle, was an innocent-faced man with shoulder length dark brown hair. He laid semi reclined on the stone with two sheathed daggers at his hip. _

_At the center of the group was their leader, a younger-looking Sesshomaru. He sat crossed-legged in the sun with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. A sheathed sword with a handle decorated with ancient-looking etchings that almost appeared to mean something rested at his hip. The scabbard matched the handle perfectly. The etchings that were cut off on the handle resumed flawlessly on the scabbard._

_The slim dog demon cracked open a blue eye with a circular pupil like a human's, though his eyes were deeper than any mortal's. "Hey, Heichou… When are we leaving?"_

_"Not for a while, Kanketsu." They needed this rest. It had been too long since they had done so._

_The black haired demon with gray eyes spoke next. "This is ridiculous," he muttered. "We're sitting ducks out here."_

_Sesshomaru barely opened his eyes. "There is no danger," he replied calmly._

_"But-"_

_"Calm yourself, Kan."_

_Kan growled but quickly fell silent. Peace settled over the group once more. After a few moments, Kan abruptly stood, picking up his sword. "I'm going on a walk." The rest of the group watched him disappear into the trees in silence._

_Kanketsu snorted. "What's his problem?" _

* * *

**A/N _Heichou_ basically just means _"captain"_. It's pretty respectful. Also, _Kanketsu_ is pronounced _"Can-kets"_. I know that's probably not correct Japanese, but this is how I want it pronounced. Lastly, _Kan_ is pronounced _"Kahn"_. Posted 03-14-15.**


	26. Chapter 26

_"Kan's been gone a long time," Kanketsu remarked. "Maybe someone should go check on him." He gazed around the clearing, his eyes soon landing on the neko. "Yuji?"_

_ Yuji shook his head vigorously. "No way. Nuh-uh."_

_ "Why not?"_

_ "You saw him! He's pissed! He'll probably lop my head off or something!"_

_ "Don't be ridiculous," Sesshomaru muttered. His eyes were closed again._

_ "How about you go, Nexus?" Yuji suggested hopefully._

_ The large dog demon opened his mouth to reply but was stopped when the man who had been sitting with Kan stood. "I'll go." Black eyes sought golden ones, requesting permission. Finding the answer he wanted, he turned and headed into the trees with his sword in hand. _

_ Nexus raised his eyebrows at Sesshomaru. "You sure it's okay for Seto to go alone? He's still recovering from the trauma of that attack a few weeks ago."_

_ "He'll be fine," Sesshomaru murmured dismissively, closing his eyes once again._

_ "Maybe I should go with?" the man with the innocent face offered._

_ Nexus shook his head. "No. You're leg's not healed yet. I won't have all my hard work undone because you moved around too much and reopened that wound."_

_ "Besides, Kai. Do you sense any danger?" Kanketsu asked. Kai shook his head. "So let's not worry, then."_

_ "Hey, Kaoru," Yuji called suddenly. "You've been quiet for a while." He sighed when the response the black inu gave was to turn his head slightly toward the neko. "Still not talking, huh?"_

_ Kanketsu sat up on his elbows. "I told you before; he doesn't talk."_

_ Before the argument could be taken any further, Sesshomaru's eyes snapped open, causing them all to fall silent. Seto came running out of the woods moments later, looking alarmed. "It's Kan," he gasped, stopping before Sesshomaru. "He's-" Whatever he had been about to say was lost forever as he started to fall, blood pouring from a wound on his chest that hadn't been there seconds before. Sesshomaru lunged forward and caught him in one arm just as the black-eyed man hit his knees. The taiyoukai crouched on one knee, staring with deceptive calm at the pale-faced man whose forehead rested on his shoulder. Blood dribbled out of the corner of Seto's mouth._

_ The others were on their feet by now. They rushed toward the pair, weapons in hand. "Oh my god…" Yuji muttered while the others looked on in silent horror._

_ Nexus immediately began pulling out bandages from his pack while Sesshomaru slowly laid Seto down on his back and stood, his gaze locked on dull, unseeing black eyes. "Don't," he said quietly, his voice betraying no emotion. Sesshomaru looked away. "He is already dead." _

* * *

**Posted 03-15-15.**


	27. Chapter 27

**The sentence surrounded by apostrophes ('') is a thought. I couldn't think of a better way to do it.**

_Sesshomaru turned his attention to the woods while the others mourned silently. His eyes narrowed. Moments later, Kan stumbled out of the trees, clutching his stomach. Blood welled up between his fingers. A strange green gas that almost eliminated Kan's own scent surrounded him in a thick haze. "R…un…" he rasped before falling face first onto the stone. His heart stopped beating._

_ Yuji took a step toward the fallen warrior. "Oh my god… Is this… Is this the illness we've been hearing about?"_

_ Kanketsu grabbed his arm and yanked him back forcefully. "Don't go closer! Do you want to get infected?!" _

_ Sesshomaru walked over to them, noticing the way their eyes lingered on his bloody sleeve. "Leave," he ordered. "Go to the lonely mountain. I will meet you there."_

_ "But Heichou-"Kanketsu started to argue._

_ "No," Sesshomaru cut in harshly. "Go. Now!" While he appreciated their loyalty and willingness to fight by his side, he refused to risk their lives. If he died, so be it._

_ Kanketsu pursed his lips together, a clear sign that he wanted to argue further, but he fell silent. Nexus supported Kai by taking the man's arm over his broad shoulders. Kaoru reluctantly sheathed his sword. Yuji, face pale, swallowed hard and let his arm drop to his side with his bow in hand. One by one the five of them, with lingering glances to their leader, exited the clearing by going the opposite direction from which Kan had come. Sesshomaru hoped they had the sense to seek out Azaria. He didn't know if they were infected, but just in case…_

_ A gaseous green ball flew from out of nowhere and hit him square in the chest. He skidded backward several feet until the ball dissipated but managed to remain standing. His armor had taken most of the blow and now sported a serious dent because of it. Still, shallow though the wound was, he was injured. The stench of the gas wound around him, nearly making him sick. But the gas was fading. Sesshomaru didn't take the time to question it as he stood. He watched with narrowed eyes as two dark-haired men with swords unsheathed walked out of the woods near Kan's body. There was a rush of wind and he felt a slice beneath his right ear. One of the men now stood behind him._

_ "This one is brave, Takashi."_

_ "Unlike the others, Kaito."_

_ Sesshomaru didn't let himself growl… but his anger manifested itself in different ways. His aura grew. His youki rose, lifting strands of silver hair with wisps of power. A single thought entered his mind. 'Do not speak of them as though they are weak.' He smoothly drew his sword and, in a voice that betrayed no emotion, said simply, "You will die." _

* * *

**I meant to post this earlier in the day... Hmm. Posted 03-18-15.**


	28. Chapter 28

Inuyasha shoved his toe into the stone by the large bloodstain Sesshomaru had been staring at when they'd first entered the clearing. "What happened here?" he asked quietly.

Sesshomaru barely glanced at the stain. "Someone died."

"Who?" Inuyasha questioned, more out of curiosity than anything else.

Sesshomaru's gaze lingered on a bloodstain near the woods. "Brothers."

Inuyasha looked up sharply, searching his own brother's face. Finding nothing, he asked, "Did you know them?"

Sesshomaru was silent for a long moment. "Yes," he finally replied.

Inuyasha indicated the other bloodstains with his foot. "And these? Who died here?"

Sesshomaru recalled the dent in his armor and glanced down to the faint scratch that still remained even after all these years. "No one."

Inuyasha frowned. "You were here, weren't you?" Sesshomaru hesitated but eventually nodded. "Why?"

Sesshomaru's gaze drifted inward. "We needed to rest."

"And the three of you were attacked?" Inuyasha asked.

"No." He looked slowly around the clearing, remembering where each person had been sitting, what each had been doing. He remembered too much. "They were eight of us."

Setting aide his curiosity for now, Inuyasha asked a more important question. "You said our enemy is here, but I don't sense him. So where is he?"

Sesshomaru lifted his eyes to gaze calmly into Inuyasha's. "He is coming."

* * *

**Posted 03-19-15.**


	29. Chapter 29

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru stood together with their swords drawn. Every sense was trained on the forest ahead of them, tensely awaiting the arrival of their enemy. Sesshomaru's grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. _He is coming. _

"Heichou!"

Sesshomaru nearly jumped at the sudden unexpected appearance of a familiar voice behind him. It was a voice he hadn't heard in many years. He whirled around to face it, eyes locking on the pair that was running up to him. Inuyasha turned as well. He frowned deeply. "Who the hell?"

Kanketsu and Nexus stopped before them, each panting hard, their attention focused on the taiyoukai. Kanketsu braced himself by putting his hands on his knees. "Hei… chou…" he gasped. "H-Heard about… Kai." His eyes were filled with pain and anger, as were his partner's.

"We came to… to help," Nexus panted with grim determination. Two pairs of deep blue eyes glared at their leader, challenging him, daring him to say no.

Sesshomaru gritted his teeth and nodded once. There was no time. No time for arguments, no time for reunions, no time for anything. "Fine."

"Hold on a sec!" Inuyasha shouted at him. "Who the fuck is this Kai person? And for that matter, who are _these_ guys?!"

Sesshomaru turned away and said quietly, "They were two of the eight."

Inuyasha's mouth snapped shut, his expression changing somewhat. Sesshomaru closed his eyes. He barely listened as the newcomers readied their weapons. When he slowly opened his eyes again, he wasn't surprised to see a dark form standing in the woods ahead of him. Once normal eyes glowed a bright, evil red. The figure's head was tilted, their face spilt by a wicked, toothy grin that bordered on looking insane. But, by the time the figure emerged into the sunlight, they looked normal. However, the man's face still bore that sadistic smirk that Sesshomaru remembered so well. He bit back the flicker of betrayal that rose up in his heart. Now was not the time to let the past rear its ugly head in his mind. He'd had enough of that for one day.

The group behind him tensed and Sesshomaru watched as the man strode forward, coming to a stop mere feet away from the taiyoukai. His smirk widened into a smile reminiscent of the grin he had worn before he'd stepped into the clearing. "Hello, old friend."

* * *

**Posted 03-20-15.**


	30. Chapter 30

Sesshomaru growled lowly, hating the familiarity with which he'd been addressed. "We were never friends, Kaito."

"Ah, but who can really say?" Kaito asked with an air of supreme unconcern. "There is such a thin line between love and hate."

"What the hell would _you_ know about love?!" Kanketsu snapped hotly. "All you ever do is kill!"

Sesshomaru shot the inu a hard look, warning him to hold his tongue. Now was not the time to let their emotions get the better of them. Sesshomaru returned his attention forward, his gaze landing calmly on their enemy's. _He will take advantage of anything he can. _

Kaito didn't seem bothered by the interruption in the least. "I remember back when you were younger and I had to practically force you to talk to that woman you cared for, Sesshomaru. You were so determined to keep your heart hidden from her. Ah… She was such a pretty thing," he purred. "What was her name again?" His expression took on a quality of feigned thoughtfulness. "Was it-"

"Enough!" Sesshomaru interrupted furiously. He ignored the way everyone looked at him, suddenly angry with himself for his outburst. _I did exactly what I had stopped Kanketsu from doing. _

"What's the matter?" Kaito asked in mock concern. "Did I hit a nerve?"

"Leave him alone!" Inuyasha shouted, causing Sesshomaru to glance at him in surprise. "If you wanna fight, then let's fight already!"

Kaito sighed and slowly drew his sword. "And I was having so much fun, too…"

Sesshomaru tensed involuntarily at the dark aura that buffeted his senses. _He has grown stronger. _Suppressing his anger for now, he lunged at his opponent. Their swords clashed powerfully. Sparks erupted from where the blades connected. The ground shook. A bright light began to surround them. Then, after a moment, there was a small explosion and both of them were launched backward. They landed on their feet several yards away from each other.

The others wasted no time. Inuyasha immediately launched an Adamant Barrage, but Kaito dodged it easily by jumping high into the air. Nexus appeared behind him and swung his axe with all his might, but Kaito ducked and sent him flying with a powerful kick to the gut. As Nexus crashed and Kaito landed, Kanketsu rushed forward, releasing a ball of energy that had formed between the two points of the crescent moon blade on the top of his scythe. Though his attack tore up the ground, it was avoided when Kaito sidestepped so fast it was almost like he hadn't moved.

Kaito landed beside Inuyasha with his sword held high, the point aimed downward at the hanyou's throat. "You're all weak," the man muttered, sounding genuinely disappointed. "Now you can watch him die." He swung his arm down with speed that was almost beyond Inuyasha's ability to see. Blood splattered the ground.

* * *

**Posted 03-22-15.**


	31. Chapter 31

Inuyasha stared somewhat uncomprehendingly at the blade that protruded from Kaito's stomach. The first thought he managed to form was, _Why isn't he disintegrating? _

Sesshomaru stood behind his brother's would-be killer and yanked his sword out, heedless of the blood that ran down it's length and onto his hand. Inuyasha took the chance he'd been given and jumped away before Kaito could attempt to strike again. Kaito turned his head to glare darkly at Sesshomaru, who held his gaze evenly. "You'll regret that." As soon as Kaito issued this threat, the battle resumed full-force.

Though the majority of the fighting was between Sesshomaru and Kaito, the others did whatever they could to help. Sesshomaru slashed powerfully at Kaito, steadily forcing his opponent to give ground before launching him back entirely. Inuyasha immediately unleashed his Wind Scar, surprised when the light green energy that Kanketsu commanded, which thankfully was easily distinguishable from the green of the illness, merged with his attack. Seconds later, Nexus let loose a bright yellow attack that joined the combination. Sesshomaru was motionless for a long moment as the attack roared past him. Then, finally, with a soft "Tch," he slashed at it, letting his Dragon Strike take form and meld with the other attacks.

There was a blinding flash. The ground shook violently and cracked. The wind from Inuyasha's Wind Scar whipped around them with the force of a tornado, pulling hair, flapping clothes, making the trees groan. The green of Kanketsu's attack pulsed through the ground once, twice, its vibrations creating strange sensations in their feet. The yellow from Nexus's attack created a light that lingered even after the initial flash died down, nearly blinding in its intensity. The lightning from Sesshomaru's attack cracked and crashed just as violently as the ground had shook, creating a faint blue light within the yellow.

When it was finally over, the only one who seemed unsurprised to find their enemy still standing was Sesshomaru. Inuyasha readied himself for another attack. _The bastard's injured, at least. _

"So you're still immune, eh Sesshomaru?" Kaito purred.

Inuyasha's head snapped to the side. His eyes widened at the green gas fading from around Sesshomaru, who was crouched a short distance away. _When was he attacked?!_

Sesshomaru didn't reply to Kaito in any way, nor did he pay any attention to Inuyasha and the others as he straightened. His eyes never left Kaito as the dark man spoke again. "It's a shame, really. I would have loved to see you melt." Inuyasha growled at the memory of the melting corpse. This sentence seemed to strike a nerve with Kanketsu and Nexus as well, for they began growling lowly as well. "I almost feel sorry for you," Kaito continued. "That's a much less painful way to go than some of my other abilities will grant you." He shrugged unconcernedly. "Oh well." The four inu tensed as he suddenly disappeared and reappeared directly in front of Sesshomaru, his sword already in mid-swing. "See if you're immune to _this_!"

* * *

**Posted 03-23-15.**


	32. Chapter 32

This attack wasn't like the green attack from before. It was purple and looked more like toxic energy than a ball of gas. And it was so fast only Sesshomaru and Kaito seemed to be able to see it. There was no time to react. Sesshomaru braced himself for the blow.

It hit him. Hard.

He flew back an impressive distance, crashing through trees and creating a gouge in the stone with his feet as he went. He was finally stopped by slamming hard with his back into a huge boulder by the nearest edge of the plateau. He slumped down into a sitting position for a moment and let out a small cough. That had actually hurt. He hadn't been expecting that. Granted, his opponent had grown stronger, but so had he. He spat onto the ground and stood, stepping over the spot of red as he strode back to the fight.

Inuyasha struggled with Tetsusaiga, fighting to push Kaito back and away from where Sesshomaru had disappeared. Kaito had immediately tried to go after to taiyoukai, but Kanketsu had intervened. Now he lay motionless on the ground. Nexus had tried to stop Kaito afterward, but now he was unconscious as well. Inuyasha was on his own. He swung at Kaito when they separated. His attack was immediately parried and returned. He winced when his arm was sliced but didn't falter in his next attack. "_Wind Scar_!"

"You'll have to do better than that, half-breed!" Kaito slashed through the attack and sent his own racing toward Inuyasha.

Then, suddenly, Kanketsu's voice reached his ears. "_Get down_!" Inuyasha dropped just in time for the full demon's attack to fly over his head and collide with Kaito's, causing an explosion as Kanketsu rose to his feet, leaning heavily on his scythe.

Inuyasha glared back at him. "Don't push yourself, idiot."

Kanketsu glared back at him, but eventually nodded. Normally he only took orders from one person, but this situation was different. _If Sesshomaru trusts him, I'll trust him. _A familiar scent reached his nose. He lifted his head and heaved a heavy sigh of relief when Sesshomaru appeared from the trees. The slight smirk that had appeared on his face quickly faded when he noticed the faint shadow in Sesshomaru's eyes. It was a look he remembered well, if only because he had seen it so few times before. _He's in pain._

Sesshomaru approached his enemy slowly, conscious of the way Inuyasha and Kanketsu's eyes followed his every movement. Power flowed through him and swirled in faint eddies around him, lifting strands of his hair in twining updrafts. Golden cat-slit eyes drifted to the unmoving form on the other side of the clearing.

Kaito grinned at him. "Welcome back, old friend."

* * *

**Posted 03-24-15.**


	33. Chapter 33

Inuyasha could only watch as the fight resumed, though he occasionally lent a hand when he could. Sesshomaru had ordered him to defend Kanketsu who, no longer able to stand, crouched on one knee behind the hanyou, still using his scythe as support. Normally Inuyasha might not have listened to Sesshomaru, but his brother's tone had been coldly furious, leaving absolutely no room for argument.

_"This is my fight."_

He watched as Sesshomaru dodged a vicious slash that tore up the stone near where he'd been standing. _Something's off._ Narrowed golden eyes observed his brother's movements carefully. _Something's not right. _

"He's moving too slow." Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder to the inu at his back. Kanketsu's blue eyes followed the battle closely. "He's faster than this."

Inuyasha returned his attention forward just as Sesshomaru cut through a portion of Kaito's armor with a terrible shriek of metal on metal. "You think he's hurt?"

"I don't know."

Inuyasha frowned deeply. What if Sesshomaru _was_ hurt? He could stop himself from immediately thinking, _We're so screwed._ He rigorously shook that thought away, refusing to believe it. _No, he's too strong for that. Besides, it's like Kagome always said. I've gotta think positive. _His eyebrow twitched. _…Wow that sounded stupid._ He sighed inwardly, allowing himself a moment's distraction. _I can't believe it's been two years already… _

Sesshomaru nimbly avoided another attack before launching his own. Kaito dodged as well. _Tch._ Their swords crashed together. Light began to surround the two as each poured as much power as they could into their swords in their fight to get the upper hand.

Kaito grinned and redoubled his efforts. "What's the matter, _Heichou_?" he mocked quietly. "Feeling a bit out of sorts?"

Sesshomaru allowed himself a small smirk. "You are wrong. I am unaffected."

Kaito's eyes widened a degree before returning to their previous state. Gleeful. Confident. Certain. Still, his tone said otherwise. "Impossible," he snapped. "No one, not even _you_-"

"You are a fool, Kaito," Sesshomaru interrupted. "You overestimate yourself, as always." His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. "And I thought you had changed." With that, he unleashed his Dragon Strike. The attack quickly overtook the pair. Soon, Kaito's screams were forever silenced.

Not far away, a grumpy hanyou huffed. "Show off."

* * *

**Posted 03-25-15.**


	34. Chapter 34

"I'm a fine, guys. Really."

Nexus snorted and batted Kanketsu's hand way from the wound Nexus was bandaging on his chest. "No you're not. Now hold still and stop fussing."

"_Fussing_?!" Kanketsu demanded in outrage. "You were out way longer than me! We should be fussing over _you_!"

Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk. "Is he always like this?" Nexus said "Yes" at the exact moment Kanketsu shouted, "No!" and Inuyasha shook his head in amusement. He watched Nexus work for a minute before asking, "You're a healer?"

"In sense," Nexus answered. "I have little training, though I've learned much through experience."

Sesshomaru watched the proceedings silently from a short distance away as the pair conversed. Once he was satisfied that they would get along without him having to mediate, he turned his attention back to the corpse ahead of him. Kaito was dead, Sesshomaru _knew_ he was, but he had to make sure. He listened hard for any sign of a pulse, but even the slightest of sounds seemed to be growing steadily louder to his ears, making it nearly impossible to even hear his own thoughts. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it.

He walked over to the body and turned it over with his foot so that it lay on its back. Dull, sightless eyes stared endlessly at nothing. It was over. Kaito was gone. Sesshomaru knelt down beside him and lightly brushed his fingertips across the sword still clutched in his enemy's hand. Summoning his _dokkaso _he watched as his poison slowly ate away at the blade until it was no more. Signing softly, he stood.

The world immediately spun.

Sesshomaru stumbled backward a couple of steps before catching himself and, squeezing his eyes shut, he pressed to fingers into his temple. His head was beginning to throb. Vaguely, he heard Nexus's voice.

"You're Inuyasha, right? Come here. You're bleeding."

Sesshomaru opened his eyes and swayed uncertainly on his feet for a moment. His vision was becoming blurry. Everything seemed to hurt. He'd held out for a while, but he was starting to see black spots in his vision. _Damn. _He'd been lucky that Kaito hadn't called his bluff, thus leaving himself defenseless. Still, Sesshomaru wished it _hadn't _been a bluff. He needed to stay strong. He needed to fight this. More importantly, he needed to stay _awake_.

His head spun and he swayed again. His vision swam. His heart pounded too hard, too fast. He felt a pulse go through him, closely followed by a wave of pain, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. As he fell to his knees and collapsed, a voice that sounded impossibly far away reached his ears. _"Heichou!"_

* * *

**A/N Yes, I hurt Sesshomaru. Don't kill me. Posted 03-26-15.**


	35. Chapter 35

"We've gotta get him out of here." Inuyasha's brow furrowed as he held his brother's legs down while Kanketsu pinned his arms, each of them struggling to try to prevent the unconscious taiyoukai from lashing out because he was in pain. Nexus did his best to clean the deep, horrible wound that had appeared on Sesshomaru not long after he'd collapsed. It covered the majority of his chest and almost all of his stomach.

"Yes, but we can't move him right now," the broad-shouldered demon replied tensely. "I don't know how this… poison or whatever it is spread so quickly, but moving him around any more will only make it worse." He pressed down on the wound with a heavy towel from his pack and Sesshomaru immediately tensed and writhed slightly in pain beneath them, baring his teeth unconsciously as his claws made shallow gouges in the stone. Inuyasha swore softly and held him down.

_Dammit, Sesshomaru…Why'd you have to go and get hit like that? _Inuyasha shoved that thought rudely aside, staring into his brother's pale, sweaty face. _Just hang in there. _

Nexus growled, the sound far more intimidating than Inuyasha had expected. "I can't heal this."

"So what do we do?" Kanketsu asked.

The bigger demon sighed, his entire body seeming to deflate. "Nothing."

"What?!" Inuyasha exclaimed in outrage.

"There's nothing we _can_ do," Nexus clarified. He looked down at Sesshomaru, who had stilled for now as he fought for breath. "He'll have to overcome this on his own."

* * *

**Posted 03-28-15.**


	36. Chapter 36

_Sesshomaru's calm golden eyes scanned the clearing and he slowly allowed himself to relax. None of his warriors were further injured. They had made it here safely. Satisfied with what he found, he strode silently through the small camp and past sleeping forms, prepared to claim a spot near a large tree, but was stopped by a voice._

_ "You are hurt."_

_ He sighed softly and turned around. His heart skipped lightly at the sight of the woman before him. "I am fine."_

_ "No, you are not."_

_ "Azaria-"_

_ "Do not argue with me, Sesshomaru." He glared at her, but she ignored it as she always did. "Come. Sit." He hesitated but obeyed, taking a seat beside the tree. She knelt in front of him and pulled his right sleeve up, examining a gash on his arm. "Where are the brothers Seto and Kan?"_

_ He looked away. "Dead."_

_ "And their killers?"_

_ "Escaped."_

_ "Do not worry," she murmured. "You will have your chance for revenge." Sesshomaru decided to question her words later. When she spoke again her tone became lighter, more playful. "You left in such a hurry before that we did not get to finish speaking. I never had a chance to reply."_

_ He tensed unwillingly and watched as she poked an index finger into his chest lightly drew a circle with it. His heart pounded. That finger slowly trailed up his neck and under his chin. He unconsciously followed as she pulled that slim finger a few centimeters closer to her. Her hand swept across his jaw and covered his cheek, leaving a lightning strike of sensation. "Azaria, what are you-" he started to ask, his voice quieter than he'd intended. _

_ "Shh." And then she kissed him. _

* * *

**One last memory to help clarify a few things. …Hopefully. Posted 03-29-15.**


	37. Chapter 37

Inuyasha was the only one awake. Even Nexus, the only other member of the group who was relatively uninjured, was asleep. Worry gnawed at Inuyasha's chest and he moved so that he was kneeling by his brother's side, staring into his pale face. Smothering a sigh, he reached a hand out to check his temperature again. Sesshomaru's fever had been growing steadily worse over the last few hours, and Inuyasha just wanted to make sure that it hadn't spiked again.

He placed his hand on his brother's hot forehead only for Sesshomaru to immediately shift slightly away, a slight frown appearing on his face. Inuyasha watched him, moving his hand to rest on his knee. His nose quivered, sifting through his brother's scent. His ears pricked. He noted the way Sesshomaru's heart pounded, the difficulty with which he was breathing, the feverish chills that occasionally wracked his frame.

Inuyasha reached his hand out again and replaced the rag that had slipped off his brother's forehead at some point during the night. Sesshomaru stirred again. Inuyasha's calm look turned into a glare. "Don't you dare fucking die, Sesshomaru," he threatened harshly.

Sesshomaru's frown deepened somewhat. "M'not… going… t'die…" he muttered faintly.

Inuyasha allowed his glare to fade somewhat. "Yeah, you'd better not." Sesshomaru didn't respond that time and Inuyasha, figuring the taiyoukai was drifting off again, decided to leave him be. _He needs to rest. _He settled back against a tree and yawned against his will. _And do I. _Suppressing a yawn, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

* * *

**Posted 03-30-15.**


	38. Chapter 38

When Inuyasha opened his eyes again, it was morning. The clearing was pleasantly warm and sunny, not yet hot as the sun had yet to gain its full height. There were no clouds in the sky and the birds, the only animals that inhabited this place, chirped merrily. But, in spite of all appearances, all was not well. He quickly stood and looked around, his nose working furiously. A growl rumbled in his throat. _What's she doing here? _Inuyasha looked to Kanketsu, who sat cross-legged on the ground with his scythe, which was taller than the demon himself when he was standing. "Oi," Inuyasha called. "You smell that?"

Kanketsu nodded, never looking up from his weapon. "Yeah. I figured she'd show up sooner or later."

Inuyasha's brow furrowed. "You knew?"

Kanketsu flicked the handle of his weapon absently. "Yeah. She does that."

"Does _what_?"

"Shows up out of nowhere." Inuyasha's growl caused the inuyoukai to look up. "Look, whether we like it or not, she's coming and we can't stop her."

Inuyasha glared at him. "You trust her?"

Kanketsu looked away. "When it comes to healing, yes."

Inuyasha didn't like it. "And otherwise?"

"Not with anything," came the neutral but still somewhat hard reply.

"So why the fuck did _he_ trust her?" Inuyasha demanded, flicking a glance to his brother.

Kanketsu met his gaze evenly. "Because, back then, she was different. And, in a way, so was he."

Nexus, who had been checking on Sesshomaru, walked over to them. "Regardless of his history with her," he interrupted, "Sesshomaru needs her here. He's doing a bit better, but not for long."

Inuyasha glared fiercely. _Doing better isn't the same as being better. _His eyes drifted to Sesshomaru, who still lay in the same position as he had during the night. Faint spots of color rose high on pale cheeks, evidence of a worsening fever. _He's not out of the woods yet. _

Nexus's voice dragged his attention back to the conversation. "I'll go meet her. With any luck, I'll be able to convince her to stay and help."

"Ain't that what she's coming for?" Inuyasha asked.

Kanketsu shook his head. "No, probably not." He looked to Nexus. "Remember what Heichou said about never trusting her words," he warned his friend.

Nexus nodded. "I know." Then he left, running as fast as he could toward the one woman who could probably save Sesshomaru's life.

_Probably. _Inuyasha sat down and, seeking to distract himself from the worrisome voices in his head, thought about something else. He frowned a bit and lifted his gaze to look at Kanketsu. "What the hell is a '_Heichou'_?"

* * *

**Posted 03-31-15.**


	39. Chapter 39

"She's not coming."

"Didn't you tell her what's going on?!"

"Of course I did." A low growl from Inuyasha was his only response. Nexus, his patience already worn thin by the encounter with Azaria, ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to remain calm. "She did give me this, though." He showed them a small vial of purplish-pink liquid sealed by a cork.

Inuyasha's nose quivered unconsciously and his eyes widened a degree. "The antidote…?"

"Yeah. I don't know how well it will work, though," Nexus said.

Inuyasha nodded his agreement. "Because he can't be affected by the regular illness, which is what that's supposed to be for."

Kanketsu interrupted Nexus before he could even voice his reply. "Okay, enough with the chitchat! We don't have time for this!" Nexus and Inuyasha quickly walked over to where Kanketsu knelt by Sesshomaru's side. Kanketsu frowned at the vial. "That's a liquid."

"Yes," Nexus sighed. "And therein lies the problem." He looked down at his old friend. "In order to drink it, Sesshomaru will first have to wake up."

Inuyasha's worry was apparent, but for once, he didn't care. "What if he doesn't wake up?"

"He will," Kanketsu said firmly. "He won't die, and he sure as hell won't do it without a fight."

Despite the grim circumstances, Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk a little at the fire in the inuyoukai's eyes. "Yeah… He ain't the kind to give up a fight."

"Got that right," Kanketsu muttered.

"Nonetheless," Nexus interjected, "we'll have to make sure that at one of us is awake at all times. That way, when he wakes up, someone will be ready to give this to him." He held up the vial.

Inuyasha noticed that Nexus refrained from saying "if he wakes up", and Inuyasha couldn't help but agree with the demon's stubbornness. _He won't give up. Neither of them will. And I won't either. _His eyes traveled across the short space separating him and his brother. _And neither will he. _

* * *

**Posted 04-01-15.**


	40. Chapter 40

When Sesshomaru woke, he was terribly, terribly hot. He couldn't shake the feeling of illness running rampant within him. A chill ran through him so suddenly that he wasn't able to suppress a shiver, causing him to tense. He frowned and finally tried to open his eyes. His vision was blurry at first, but after blinking a few times, he realized that he was looking at a tree. His vision blurred again for a moment and, head throbbing, he squeezed his eyes shut.

What the hell had happened? How did he end up on lying on the ground like this? It occurred to him after a moment that this probably had something to do with the attack he'd been hit with not long before he'd managed to kill Kaito. The fact that he was even being affected by it was equal parts surprising and annoying. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes again.

Doing his best to ignore the dizziness he felt, he rolled slowly onto his back from his right side and sat up so that he was sitting in a somewhat cross-legged position. His head and heart were both pounding. His throat was dry and it ached. Another shiver raced up his spine, and the movement was enough to make him feel even more nauseas.

It almost didn't make any sense that he felt so hot and so cold at the same time. On one hand, he felt like he would melt he was so goddamn hot, but on the other hand, he felt like he was on the verge of freezing to death. It was _irritating_. A late-night breeze whispered through the clearing, the edge of which was where he was sitting, and the chill that rocketed down his spine was so sharp it was almost painful. And yet, at the same time, the breeze felt almost good. His head gave another throb and he squeezed his eyes shut again, pressing a palm into an eye in a vain attempt to relieve the pressure there. It was only then that he realized he was sweating a bit. Lovely.

He didn't know how long he sat there like that before he became aware of a hand other than his own on his shoulder shaking him lightly. He blinked his eyes open and lifted his head a bit to see a pair of blue eyes watching him worriedly. It was Nexus. Sesshomaru wasn't quite sure why he felt relieved by this fact. Perhaps he'd been concerned that something had happened to the three of them while he'd been out? That was possible, he supposed. However, another possibility entered his mind. Perhaps he'd been worried that they'd… left? It sounded stupid, but they really were among he only people he considered his friends. Perhaps that was why…

"Sesshomaru? How are you feeling?" Nexus asked quietly, and yet, somehow, still too loudly. Sesshomaru resisted a pained groan and closed his eyes again. "That bad, huh?" The weak humor in his voice was telling. Nexus was far more concerned that he was letting on.

The other demon's somewhat larger hand brushed his away from his face and pressed something small into his hand, prompting him to open his eyes once more. He stared almost uncomprehendingly at the vial he now held.

"You had her make that antidote just in case someone got hurt right?" A slow nod, and Sesshomaru watched as the bright liquid shifted slightly within the glass. "Well, I don't know how well it'll help you, but she brought it here."

What to do… did he risk trusting her, or risk death? Neither was an appealing option, but in the end, his will to live was far stronger than his caution toward her. So he drank and swallowed with a small grimace. No more words were exchanged as Nexus pushed him down by the shoulder and he closed his eyes yet again, already drifting back off to sleep under the influence of both medicine and illness.

* * *

**Posted 04-02-15.**


	41. Chapter 41

When Sesshomaru woke next, he was still uncomfortably warm. However, he didn't feel anywhere near as bad as he had before. The medicine had helped. Which meant… she hadn't made the antidote he'd demanded of her, the one for the illness that had killed Kai so recently. Which meant… what? That she had known about this second illness and had acted accordingly? It was definitely a possibility.

Opening his eyes, he pulled a cold, wet rag off of his forehead, his eyes immediately locking on a bloodstain so old that it had become little more than a faint brown smudge. He remembered the spot well. He had been there when it had been created. _Yuji… _Shaking that thought away, he sat up and dropped the rag on the ground to be collected later. His movement inadvertently roused Kanketsu, and the slim inu sat up quickly from where he had been resting near Nexus. Inuyasha, for all his wariness and caution, didn't even stir.

"Heichou?" Kanketsu whispered. He stood then, without waiting for a response, and carefully picked his way around the other two to get to Sesshomaru. "You okay?"

"Fine," Sesshomaru replied shortly.

Kanketsu snorted. "You weren't 'fine' just a few hours ago."

Sesshomaru didn't deign to respond to that. Instead, glancing over the other inu, his asked, "Your wound?"

Kanketsu waved off his concern with a hand. "It's nothing."

"It is not 'nothing'," Sesshomaru responded, a slight frown appearing on his face.

"You're worse." When Sesshomaru's expression said that he disagreed, Kanketsu gave his a serious look. "Well who was the one who collapsed?" he challenged.

"You."

"The first time, sure, but after that?"

"Shut up."

"No."

"Idiot."

"Jerk."

The two glared at each other for a moment before Kanketsu brke the false tension by suddenly breaking out into a wide grin. Sesshomaru looked away, allowing himself a small smirk, and Kanketsu slapped him on his shoulder. "It's good to see you," he said sincerely. "It's been too long."

"It has," Sesshomaru agreed solemnly.

"Too bad we had to meet again under such unfortunate circumstances though, eh, Heichou?"

Sesshomaru sighed. "I have told you before that you don't have to call me that."

"Oh well," Kanketsu replied, sticking his tongue out briefly in what Sesshomaru considered to be a rather childish display of stubbornness. "Deal with it."

"You act like a child."

"Oh well."

"It is immature."

"Deal with it."

"Child."

"Prick."

"Idiot."

"Jerk."

* * *

**Posted 04-04-15.**


	42. Chapter 42

"So let me get this straight," Inuyasha said as he and the others walked through the woods. "You three have known each other for _how_ long?"

Kanketsu spared the hanyou a sidelong glance before turning his gaze upward t the sky. "Well, _I've_ known Sesshmaru since we were around fourteen or so. Nexus has known him since they were maybe… maybe fifteen."

Inuyasha looked around. "Where's he go, anyway?"

"Knowing him, probably south," Kanketsu shrugged.

"Why the hell would he go south?" Inuyasha asked, brows drawing downward.

"That's where those guys were unleashing the illness this time."

They fell silent after that. They were headed to a place the three full inuyoukai referred to simply as "The Lonely Mountain". Inuyasha stared at his brother's armor-clad back. The taiyoukai had barely said a word all day. _What's his problem? _Inuyasha remembered how tense Sesshomaru had been when they had gone to the mountain before the battle at the plateau, and he wondered briefly if Azaria's presence there was the source of his brother's agitation.

Several hours later, the mountain began coming into view, it's peak stabbing through one of the few clouds floating lazily through the blue afternoon sky. Sesshomaru stopped walking. After a moment's hesitation, he turned to face in Inuyasha. "You will return to the village."

"What?" Inuyasha asked, too surprised to be angry. "Why?"

"After I retrieve more of the antidote, Kanketsu and I will be accompanying Nexus in the South."

The explanation was brief, but Inuyasha understood well enough. "How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know," Sesshomaru replied simply.

"And this means I can't come?" Inuyasha inquired, eyebrows upraised. Of course, they both knew that, if he really wanted to go, it was unlikely that words alone would stop him from doing so.

"Your friends will wonder where you are."

"Don't forget that they're your friends, too."

Sesshomaru replied with a minute, one-shouldered shrug, neither confirming nor denying the statement. The two full demons began walking toward the mountain once more. As they grew farther and farther away, Inuyasha turned and began walking home. Just as he began walking, their voices reached his sensitive ears.

"You made some new friends? I'm so proud of you!"

"Shut up."

* * *

**Wow, I am _so_ sorry this took so long to post. I really have no excuse, especially considering how long ago I wrote this, so I'll spare you any false excuses. Posted 04-14-15.**


	43. Chapter 43

Inuyasha sauntered into the village at a slow pace. He was in no hurry. The walk had been long, he hadn't slept since before this long journey had begun, he was hungry, his arm hurt where it had been cut… and yet, somehow, he felt content. Not happy exactly, but not really _un_happy, either. He was, however, satisfied with the way things had turned out. At this point, he could ask for nothing more than that.

The voices of some of the villagers called his name in greeting and he acknowledged them with half-hearted, mumbled responses. A few paces away from one of the rice fields nearest to Kaede's home, Inuyasha stopped to breathe in the familiar scents of the village. All was well, it seemed. Everyone who was supposed to be here was here. Sango, Miroku, Rin, Ah-Un, Kirara, Shippo, the villagers… they were all still here.

"Inuyasha!"

_Speakin' of the runt. _"Hey, Shippo. You keep an eye on everyone while I was gone?"

"Of course!" Shippo exclaimed as he leapt onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "But where _were_ you?"

"Out."

"But for so long?"

"It wasn't that long."

"A few weeks."

"Keh. That ain't long."

"What were you _doing_?"

"Nothin' you need to worry about."

Miroku and Sango, apparently having followed Shippo, soon came running up the pair. "You're back!" Sango said by way of greeting, her eyes wide with relief.

"It is good to see you, my friend," Miroku added warmly, smiling at Inuyasha and slapping him on the shoulder. "May I inquire as to the whereabouts of your brother?"

"He'll be back," Inuyasha replied enigmatically. He turned somewhat to gaze back down the path he had walked on through the village to reach the spot where he now stood. "He'll definitely be back.

* * *

**Short, sweet, and to the point. And that marks the end of the first major arc of this story, though aspects of it (i.e. characters and whatnot) may be brought back later. Don't worry, the story itself is far from over! Posted 04-15-15.**


	44. Chapter 44

Inuyasha walked slowly through the woods. Today was no different than any other day had been for the past few months. It was warm, almost too warm, the sun shone brightly, there were no clouds, the bugs were loud to his ears, and the villagers were as busy as ever. There was really no reason for his patrol; he just wanted to escape the confines of the village for a while. There was nothing wrong with that. Besides, it was always, _always _better to be safe than sorry.

A low-life, small-fry demon lunged at him from the bushes, screeching and howling and snarling in rage. Cracking his knuckles, Inuyasha disposed of the creature effortlessly with his claws. However, more sprang at him from all around. Alone, they were no issue, but in a hoard like this, they were difficult to handle when he was fighting by himself. And, being so close to the village, he couldn't risk letting loose a Wind Scar or an Adamant Barrage. His sword had a very limited ability to be useful in this situation because of that.

One of the demons grinned at him, it's expression dark and horrible. **_"Inuyasha, son of Toga, son of Izayoi, brother of Sesshomaru… Today you will meet your end." _**

"Don't count on it," Inuyasha growled.

**_"You will die today. Then your brother and friends will fall one, by one, by one…" _**

The attack resumed full-force and Inuyasha thought quickly. He had to lead them away from the village, he decided. Ignoring the taunts he received for turning his back and running, he poured on the speed and ran as far away as he thought was necessary before stopping turning to face the hoard once more. Unsheathing his sword, he waited until the prime moment before pulling his sword back and shouting, "Wind Scar!"

The wind tore through his enemies with ease. The demons disintegrated. Long, deep scars, for which the attack was probably named, split apart the ground. The cries and screams and howls of pain and agony soon ceased to reach his ears. The wind died down. The demons were gone. He smirked. "And they thought they could beat me." He sheathed his sword and prepared to walk away.

The ground beneath his shifted with a groan that seemed to emit from deep within the earth. His head snapped down to stare at the ground just as cracks split the ground like an intricate web spreading from each long scar. Another shift, another groan, and suddenly, the ground opened up and he was falling. Cursing his luck, he grabbed his sword and tried to stab it into the wall to stop his descent through the darkness. He missed, was sent careening through the air, and closed his eyes momentarily against the ensuing dizziness. His spinning was ended only when he hit slammed into a wall, hitting his head so hard that he couldn't stop himself from crying out. He pushed away from the wall, hit another wall with his head, and blacked out.

* * *

**Posted 04-16-17.**


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